LA Times Crossword 8 Sep 26, Tuesday

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Constructed by: Zhouqin Burnikel

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Take a Shot

Themed answers are all places where one might TAKE A SHOT:

• 58A Tries, or what one does at 16-, 22-, and 47-Across : TAKES A SHOT

• 16A Mall kiosk for pictures : PHOTO BOOTH
• 22A Night out before tying the knot : BACHELOR PARTY
• 47A Court marking that’s 15 feet from the backboard : FREE THROW LINE

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 5m 09s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6A Ancestry test sample : DNA

The first commercial DNA tests for ancestry were launched in 2000 by FamilyTreeDNA. At-home DNA testing can lead to life-altering discoveries by uncovering hidden family secrets, such as previously unknown affairs or the existence of half-siblings. Even for those who choose not to test, the growing use of public genetic databases by law enforcement means a distant relative’s results can be used to track down family members or solve cold cases through genetic genealogy.

13A NCAA hoops powerhouse : UCONN

The UConn Huskies are the sports teams of the University of Connecticut. I wasn’t able to uncover the derivation of the “Huskies” moniker. Although it is true that “UConn” sounds like “Yukon”, that isn’t the derivation of the “Huskies” nickname. The school didn’t become the University of Connecticut (UConn) until 1939, and the Huskies name has been used since 1933.

15A __ Zor-El: Supergirl : KARA

Kara Zor-El is Superman’s cousin, and is also known as Supergirl. Supergirl’s father and Superman’s father were brothers. On Earth, Supergirl uses the name “Linda Lee”.

19A Dragon roll option : EEL

A dragon roll is a sushi dish made from eel, cucumber, seaweed, rice and avocado. I am sure it’s delicious … without the eel!

21A Tuckered out : SPENT

The exact etymology of the verb “to tucker”, meaning “to tire”, seems to be uncertain. However, it appears to have originated in New England, and at least dates back to the 1830s.

25A Artichoke core : HEART

As one might imagine from their appearance, artichokes are actually a type of thistle. The edible part of the artichoke is the base of the flower bud, the heart, which is harvested before the flower fully blooms. If left unharvested, the flower of the artichoke plant will eventually bloom into a large, bright purple flower. I cannot stand artichoke hearts. One of the very few vegetables that I refuse to eat …

26A Dudes : GUYS

Our term “dude” arose as slang in New York City in the 1880s, when it was used to describe a fastidious man. In the early 1900s, the term was extended to mean “city slickers”, easterners who vacationed in the West. The first use of the term “dude ranch” was recorded in 1921.

28A Greek god with arrows : EROS

In Greek mythology, Eros is the god of love, desire, and sexual attraction. He is often depicted as a winged youth carrying a bow and arrows, with which he shoots either golden arrows to inspire love or leaden ones to inspire aversion. His Roman counterpart is Cupid.

30A Symbol on Chile’s flag : STAR

The flag of Chile comprises a white band above a red band. There is a white star in a blue square in the top lefthand corner. That single white star is known as “La Estrella Solitaria”, or “The Lone Star”. Coincidentally, the flag of Chile does bear a resemblance to the flag of Texas, the Lone Star State.

34A Mango center : PIT

The delicious mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. Almost half of the world’s supply of mangoes comes from India.

35A Refuse to patronize : BOYCOTT

“Boycott” is another word given to the world by the Irish! Englishman Captain Charles Boycott found himself on the wrong side of a local community in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, and in a concerted campaign he was refused service by all around him. His name lives on …

41A Cabbage unit : HEAD

We grow and harvest heads of cabbage. The term “cabbage” comes from the Old French word “caboche”, which translates as “head”.

42A __ salts: footbath additive : EPSOM

The Surrey town of Epsom in England is most famous for its racecourse (Epsom Downs), at which the Epsom Derby is run every year, one of the three races that make up the English Triple Crown. We also come across “Epsom salts” from time to time. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters. Epsom was indeed a spa town at one time. The town is also home to Epsom College, an English “public school” (which actually means “private, and expensive”). One of Epsom’s “old boys” was the Hollywood actor Stewart Granger.

44A Gator relative : CROC

Crocodiles and alligators do indeed bear a resemblance to each other, although they belong to distinct biological families. One of the main ways used to distinguish them is by their teeth and jaws. Both the upper and lower sets of teeth of a crocodile are visible when its mouth is closed, whereas only the upper teeth of an alligator are visible with the mouth shut.

47A Court marking that’s 15 feet from the backboard : FREE THROW LINE

That would be basketball.

52A Chowder server : LADLE

The type of soup known as “chowder” is possibly named for the pot in which it used to be cooked called a “chaudière”, a French term.

54A “Impractical Jokers” network : TBS

“Impractical Jokers” is a show that first aired in 2011 that falls into the “Candid Camera” genre, with the hosts pranking the public.

57A Cornstarch brand : ARGO

Argo brand cornstarch first hit the store shelves way back in 1892. That makes it one of the oldest consumer grocery brands still active in the US.

62A Knightley of “Atonement” : KEIRA

English actress Keira Knightley had her big break in the movies when she co-starred in 2002’s “Bend It Like Beckham”. Knightley played one of my favorite movie roles, Elizabeth Bennet in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice”, although that isn’t the best adaptation of Austen’s novel in my humble opinion …

“Atonement” is an excellent 2007 big-screen adaptation of Ian McEwan’s 2001 novel of the same name. The cast is outstanding, including James McAvoy, Keira Knightley and Vanessa Redgrave. I was most impressed by the performance of young Saoirse Ronan, a performance that launched her Hollywood career.

64A “People Puzzler” channel : GSN

Game Show Network (GSN)

“People Puzzler” is a game show hosted by actress Leah Remini that is based on the crosswords published in “People” magazine. Those would be celebrity and pop-culture themed crosswords, not one of my strengths …

Down

1D Bamboozle : DUPE

It’s thought that the lovely word “bamboozle” came into English from the Scottish “bombaze” meaning “perplex”. We’ve been using “bamboozle” since the very early 1700s.

4D Doc who treats rhinitis : ENT

Ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT)

Rhinitis is irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Usually, rhinitis is a result of inhalation of allergens such as pollen and pet dander.

5D Crustacean found in cold northern oceans : SNOW CRAB

Snow crabs are sometimes called queen crabs, especially in Canada.

8D Tandoor residue : ASH

A tandoor is a cylindrical clay or metal oven used in cuisines from several Asian locales, including India.

10D Indiana basketball player : PACER

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, who play in the NBA. The name was chosen when the team was formed in 1967. “Pacers” is a homage to harness racing pacers (famed in Indiana) and the pace car used in the Indianapolis 500.

17D Bank of Thailand coin : BAHT

The baht is the currency of Thailand. It utilizes the symbol “฿”, a character that gained unexpected popularity during the infancy of cryptocurrency. When Bitcoin launched in 2009, it co-opted the existing baht symbol because it closely resembled a traditional dollar sign superimposed over a capital “B”. The co-opted use persisted for nearly a decade until a dedicated, double-strikethrough Bitcoin symbol (₿) was finally approved and added to the global Unicode Standard in 2017.

29D Color TV pioneer : RCA

RCA, or the Radio Corporation of America, played a significant role in the history of television as a pioneer in the industry. RCA developed and introduced the first electronic television system in 1939 at the New York World’s Fair. RCA also created the NTSC (National Television System Committee) broadcast standard, which was adopted in the United States in 1953 for analog television broadcasting. Additionally, RCA produced the first color television sets in 1954.

32D Succulent that grows pups : ALOE

Succulent plants are those with thickened stems and/or leaves that have evolved to retain water. As such, succulents are often found where the climate is particularly dry. The term “succulent” comes from the Latin “sucus” meaning “juice, sap”.

37D Dish marinated in soy sauce and mirin : TERIYAKI

Teriyaki is a Japanese technique of cooking in which the foods are grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade. The marinade may or may not include ginger.

40D Spotted rainforest cats : OCELOTS

The ocelot is a wild cat found mainly in South and Central America, although there have been sightings as far north as Arkansas. An ocelot doesn’t look too different from a domestic cat, and some have been kept as pets. Perhaps most famously, Salvador Dali had one that he carried around everywhere with him.

47D Moth magnet : FLAME

It isn’t really understood why moths are attracted to artificial lights. There is one theory that sounds plausible to me though. It is suggested that moths navigate at night by maintaining the moon (the brightest celestial object) at a fixed angle. When a moth finds a brighter light source, like an artificial light, it gets confused.

51D Small brown bird : WREN

The wren is a small songbird belonging to the family Troglodytidae and the genus Troglodytes. Wrens are known for making dome-shaped nests. Despite their small size, they are known for their loud and complex songs. Male wrens often sing to attract mates and to establish territory. They have been known to attack much larger birds that get too close to their nests.

59D Rep.’s colleague : SEN

A member of the US House of Representatives serves for a two-year term, whereas a member of the US Senate serves for a six-year term.